The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 231
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Of course, only Elisha’s hair had become disheveled.
But to see even Tesagh and Ailren, who could be counted among the top in stamina and persistence, looking half-dazed.
Unintentionally, Elisha learned that the weakness of both the former captain of the Royal Knights and the current Duke was festival crowds.
“Count Ailren, you suddenly disappeared in the middle. What happened?”
“We were passing through the street vendor area. When you two went ahead and I was about to follow, quite strangely, a sudden bottleneck occurred.”
“….”
“It looked as if someone had intentionally obstructed my path.”
Ailren’s blue eyes rolled toward Tesagh.
Tesagh, who was probably that someone, shamelessly answered while stopping mid-way through tidying Elisha’s hair.
“What a coincidence indeed.”
“I’ll say this again, but I took on the escort duty to prepare for ‘potential dangers.’ What would you have done if an accident had occurred, or if there had been someone among the countless crowds trying to harm you two?”
“That’s just a hypothetical. Nothing dangerous happened.”
“Is that so? Then who was it that made a missing person announcement to find the lost Princess?”
Tesagh’s lips, which had been answering indifferently, pressed tightly shut.
It had happened while Elisha and Tesagh were moving together toward the stage where events were being held.
Around the stage, people were dancing in pairs, linking arms and spinning around while changing partners, when suddenly someone linked arms with Elisha as she was passing by, causing her to lose hold of Tesagh’s hand.
“Ahhh! I’m dizzy! I’m getting motion sick!”
“Elisha! Elisha?!”
Unable to escape from between the people spinning her around no matter what she tried, Elisha just gave up and danced.
This event would end eventually anyway.
But suddenly the music stopped abruptly and the clear voice of an announcer echoed loudly.
“We have an announcement. A gentleman called ‘Count Ris’ is looking for a young lady named ‘Eloise’ whom he met at Delphia Estate. Miss Eloise, please come to the back of the stage quickly and take Count Ris away.”
“What? It’s not that I should be taken away…!”
“He’s also looking for a gentleman named ‘Theodor,’ so we would be grateful if either of you two could come and take this gentleman away. That is all.”
After shouting at the top of her lungs that she was Eloise, Elisha was finally able to escape through the path people made for her.
That’s how she reunited with Tesagh, who had been treated as a lost person. Ailren, who knew the aliases the two used since he had handled the aftermath at Delphia Estate, seemed to have grasped the situation from that announcement.
Tesagh, who was quick to reflect, said briefly.
“…I’ll be careful not to leave you behind next time.”
“Yes.”
“Still, thanks to the group being separated, weren’t we able to finish searching the festival area within three hours? If we had moved together, it would have taken five hours.”
Ailren nodded readily.
“That’s also true. However….”
“Even with the announcement, we couldn’t find Lord Theodor.”
They had asked shop owners and passersby, and even showed photos to inn guests and drinkers while making inquiries.
But there was no one who had seen Theodor.
“Even during a festival period when there are many outsiders, there should be at least one person who saw him.”
“Could it be that Lord Theodor is using an alias or disguise magic tool?”
“No, I’ve never heard of such a thing. The Magic Tower has never made disguise magic tools for Father either.”
The dot on the map still indicated that Theodor was in this village.
“Did he lose his communication device? He must have dropped it while being pushed around by people.”
“It’s a magic tool made exclusively for Father, so if it gets more than a certain distance away from Father, the signal won’t be detected.”
“…We’ll have no choice but to look for Lord Theodor again tomorrow morning.”
At Ailren’s words, Elisha and Tesagh each nodded their heads.
It was already night. The three people finished their late dinner and began walking to find lodging.
“Wow, I wondered what kind of festival this was, and it’s a meteor shower festival! It seems meteor showers fall in this region every year around this time.”
“Forget meteor showers, it’s so cloudy we can barely see the stars. I don’t know who the planner is, but it’s unfortunate.”
“Right. Since we came all this way, it would have been nice if we could see the meteor shower too. Oh, isn’t Port Savenne, where Count Ailren is staying these days, also close to here? Can you see meteor showers from there too?”
“I’ve heard stories about it, but I’ve never seen one myself.”
Conversation accumulated over the sound of footsteps.
“What kind of place is Port Savenne? I’m curious.”
“…It’s a beautiful place where green barley fields meet the coastline. Also, the clay quality is good, so there are many potters.”
“Wow, really? I’ve actually become interested in ceramics lately!”
“If it’s alright with you, I’ll invite you.”
“I’m going too.”
“I meant to invite both of you. However, the place where I’m currently staying is rather small….”
“What a thing to worry about. I’ll have a villa purchased in Port Savenne tomorrow.”
“…I meant I would arrange separate accommodations for you, but please do as you’re comfortable.”
Elisha, who burst into laughter, said the sea breeze would be nice and walked a little ahead.
While keeping his eyes on Elisha, Tesagh casually spoke to Ailren.
“But why are you living in a small house? A knight who even served as captain of the Royal Knights couldn’t be short of money.”
“It’s a place with no shortage for living alone.”
“Have you ever lived an abundant life? Sometimes I wonder if your profession is knight or monk.”
“I’m a knight.”
“I wasn’t really confused when I asked.”
“Is that so.”
“Hah.”
Tesagh, who was exasperated, threw out a comment.
“Don’t you regret it? Stepping down from the position of captain of the Royal Knights and returning to being a regular knight.”
“Stepping down from a position also means laying down responsibility. …I’ve looked back not because of the position I laid down, but because the responsibility weighed on my mind.”
“And yet.”
“However, taking a step back, I came to understand. The determination to carry all burdens alone was not a sense of responsibility, but arrogance. Having left that arrogance behind… Yes. I don’t regret it.”
Ailren answering this way looked somewhat at ease.
“If you get tired of tying barley sacks, you can come to the Duchy. There happens to be a training instructor position available.”
“The place where I belong is Presrife. I’ll yield that honor to another knight of Moro.”
“Anyone listening would think I’d already dug out a grave site for you.”
“Still… exchanging training methods should be manageable, so I’ll try to match schedules.”
“Well, that would be an appropriate compromise.”
He had thought nothing had changed, but it seemed this knight who would break rather than bend had learned how to bend a little.
Tesagh thought that was a good change.
Throughout their journey toward the seaside, they asked at every lodging they saw, but there were no vacant rooms due to the festival period.
However, when they entered the hotel closest to the sea, half-giving up.
“Ah, you’ve come at just the right time.”
A male hotel manager with a gentle voice welcomed them.
Somehow I have a good feeling about this? Elisha stepped forward.
“Do you happen to have any rooms available?”
“Of course. Just before you three arrived, there was a cancelled reservation, so there are exactly two rooms available. Suite rooms, no less.”
“Really? That’s great! We almost had to sleep in the carriage.”
“…Oh my.”
Was it just his imagination?
Somehow it seemed like that pleasant hotel manager had glared at Tesagh.
Tesagh, who was naturally uninterested in other people, didn’t even care as he was busy taking out his checkbook.
“Have a pleasant time.”
“Excuse me, is there any news about meteor showers tonight?”
“Yes, unfortunately that’s the case. But….”
The Hotel Manager’s eyes, which crinkled gently when he smiled, looked warmly toward Elisha.
“After all, meteor showers aren’t the only thing that colors the night sky.”
“Uh….”
“Then I hope you have a comfortable night.”
“Thank you. Let’s go up now, Elisha.”
Elisha, who received the key, looked at the Hotel Manager’s face with a puzzled expression for a moment, then headed to the suite room, unable to resist Tesagh’s urging.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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